Agenda Item No: 8 Appendix A

PEOPLE, PLACE AND COMMUNITY – A CULTURAL STRATEGY FOR WEST SUSSEX

2009 – 2014

DRAFT

CONTENTS

Introduction ...... 1 PART A: SETTING THE SCENE...... 2 What does the cultural sector in West Sussex look like? ...... 2 Levels of participation in West Sussex ...... 7 The story of the cultural strategy and what it has achieved ...... 7 Challenges to be met by the new strategy ...... 8 PART B: THE PURPOSE OF THE CULTURAL STRATEGY AND THE STRATEGIC CONTEXT 9 Purpose...... 9 Context and strategic fit ...... 10 Changing West Sussex ...... 14 PART C: PRIORITIES FOR CULTURE AND CROSS CUTTING THEMES ...... 18 Priorities for culture...... 19 Performance Indicators ...... 21 Priority 1: Access and participation – to increase participation in and access for all to cultural activities ...... 22 Priority 2: Learning and skills – to increase opportunities for and access to creative learning...... 22 Priority 3: Built and natural environment – to contribute to a high quality environment by promoting social, economic and cultural regeneration...... 22 Priority 4: Creative and cultural sector – to contribute to the development of the infrastructure and capacity of the creative and cultural sector...... 23 Priority 5: Advocacy and partnership – to demonstrate the benefits and value of cultural activities and to make the necessary links between people and organisations ...... 23 Cross Cutting Theme 1: Young people and culture ...... 23 Cross Cutting Theme 2: Older people and culture ...... 25 Delivery of the priorities ...... 26 Strategic oversight and direction...... 26 Annex 1: REFERENCES...... 27 Annex 2: CREATIVE INDUSTRIES DATA ...... 28 Annex 3: COMPARATIVE SPEND BY DISTRICT COUNCILS ACROSS WEST SUSSEX ...... 29

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Executive Summary

This document is the update of “People, Place and Community a Cultural Strategy for West Sussex”. It covers the period 2009 to 2014. It is for all bodies with an interest in culture in West Sussex and sets out overall priorities which individual organisations will reflect in their own service plans and business plans.

This cultural strategy takes a wide definition of culture and continues to use the definition of the sector, which was adopted in 2003, and which has helped consolidate partnership and collaboration. That is , ‘the culture of place, people and community – the buildings, landscape, food language, beliefs and traditions that bind and define us, and which together characterise the “cultures” that make up West Sussex’. The sector includes the performing and visual arts; media, fashion, video and film; museums, archives, libraries and literature; sports events, facilities and development; the built heritage, landscape, countryside recreation, parks, open spaces; children’s play, festivals and informal leisure pursuits.

Culture and Sport have an important part to play in creating and sustaining vibrant communities. Taking part in the local drama production, playing cricket for the village team, walking on the South Downs, a visit to a gallery or finding your ancestors in the parish records – these all make life richer and add meaning to places and lives.

West Sussex is rich in heritage, culture, places of natural beauty, and tourist attractions. The county boasts stately homes and castles, the South Downs, racecourses, art galleries, music and arts festivals, glorious gardens and world-renowned motor sport events. Over half the county is protected countryside offering some of the finest walking and cycling country in Britain, while designer shops, stylish restaurants, organic cafes, idyllic country pubs and trendy bars can all be found in West Sussex.

Culture is an important contributor to sustainable communities, social cohesion, protection of the environment and economic success. It is an important employer and generator of business in its own right in West Sussex, with a turnover of over £200m and 10,000 people working in the sector, the sector also has a strong secondary impact of over £262m and is critical in turn to the success of other sectors, such as tourism and creative industries.

The championing of culture and the development and maintenance of a thriving cultural sector in West Sussex is the interest and work of many organisations and individuals across the public, private and voluntary sectors. The aim of this cultural strategy is to give all the interested parties a framework and common direction - a unifying set of priorities and objectives which will allow the individual efforts of many to add up to something which is more than just a sum of the parts.

The cultural sector contributes to the wider goals for West Sussex as set out in strategic county-wide plans such as the Sustainable Community Strategy, the economic development strategy and the Local Area Agreement amongst others. District and borough councils are also pivotal, while town and parish councils often play an important role in cultural provision. However, culture has inherent benefits in its own

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

right and should not be seen just as instrumental in achieving other goals. This leads to a twin track approach in developing the Cultural Strategy for West Sussex – to ensure culture is at the heart of efforts to achieve wider economic and social goals and also to ensure culture is developed and celebrated in itself. The two are inextricably linked – the former cannot be achieved without the latter.

By publishing a refreshed cultural strategy the aim is to: • Set strategic priorities • Set an agenda for further development and to show our aspirations for culture • Make sense of how culture relates to other strategies and to position culture within the wider context of what is happening in the county, regionally and nationally • Bring a wide range of organisations into closer alignment: – With each other – With other strategies and priorities, such as health or the visitor economy • Further strengthen partnership and collaboration • Show the benefits of investment (but not be a case for investment) • Identify how culture will make a difference • Celebrate culture for itself

In short, the purpose of the cultural strategy is to help us make the most of the wealth of cultural assets that exist in West Sussex.

This strategy reflects the changing nature of West Sussex. The population is changing, with a higher proportion of older people and reductions in the level of young people, with continuing concerns about social cohesion and the retention of young people and young families. There will be a new National Park and increasing concerns about the environment, and significant plans for new housing. The sector itself is changing, with an increased emphasis on the links between education, culture and skills; an increased emphasis on sustainability; and the impact of digital technologies in the creation and distribution of talent and cultural activity.

Overlaid on these trends are the changed circumstances due to the current downturn in the economy, which may endure for the period of this strategy. Culture will remain important in supporting the quality of life for West Sussex residents, and may also play a role in maintaining skills, confidence and self-worth among those who have been made unemployed, as well as supporting the development of creative businesses. However, cultural facilities might come under increased pressure due to reduced funding, and there is a risk of degradation, which could have a negative impact on the healthy visitor economy sector. The importance will be enhanced by collaboration and making the most of what we have.

If we succeed, in 2014 we will have achieved the following:

• A stronger cultural sector which has greater levels of use and participation and which has enhanced its own economic position

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

• A convincing creative industries sector which has achieved critical mass and which is starting to reverse the spiral of outward commuting, loss of young people and which is increasingly able to attract inward investment • A healthy visitor economy supporting jobs, businesses and cultural facilities and resources, but which is also growing sustainably • A resident population which is participating in sport and culture more often, which is healthier, which increasingly feels that they can find cultural opportunities relevant to them locally and within the county, and where the communities in which they live are becoming well balanced and sustainable.

Five priorities have been identified together with two cross cutting themes, each with a number of associated objectives. These are more fully defined later on in Part C.

Priority 1: Access and participation – to increase participation in and access for all to cultural activities

Priority 2: Learning and skills – to increase opportunities for and access to creative learning

Priority 3: Built and natural environment – to contribute to a high quality environment by promoting social, economic and cultural regeneration

Priority 4: Creative and cultural sector – to contribute to the development of the infrastructure and capacity of the creative and cultural sector

Priority 5: Advocacy and partnership – to demonstrate the benefits and value of cultural activities and to make the necessary links between people and organisations

Cross-Cutting Theme 1: Young people and culture

Cross Cutting Theme 2: Older people and culture

Delivery of the priorities will be through a wide range of organisations reflecting them in individual service and business plans and through a combination of mainstream services, partnership and leadership, and through building the necessary infrastructure for connectivity.

It is proposed that strategic oversight should be provided by the West Sussex Public Service Board acting through a designated partnership.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Introduction This is the cultural strategy for West Sussex for the period 2009 to 2014. It is not the strategy of any one organisation but is for all who have an interest and play a part in the cultural and creative life of the county.

It sets out the strategic contribution that culture will make and the aspirations for culture of partners from all types of organisations across the county. It demonstrates the importance of maintaining a thriving cultural sector to the health and prosperity of West Sussex. Five priorities for culture are proposed, with a number of supporting objectives.

Who is it for? The championing of culture and the development and maintenance of a thriving cultural sector in West Sussex is the interest and work of many organisations and individuals across the public, private and voluntary sectors. This aim of this cultural strategy is to give all the interested parties a framework and common direction - a unifying set of priorities and objectives which will allow the individual efforts of many to add up to something which is more than just a sum of its parts.

This strategy is therefore for all those who have an interest in culture - officers and elected Members of the County, Borough and District Councils, Regional Development Agencies, cultural organisations in the private, public and voluntary sector, volunteers, schools and young people, health bodies, community organisations and those involved in supporting the economy and protecting the environment.

There are three sections: Part A Setting the scene – the story of culture in West Sussex, what the sector looks like

Part B The purpose of the cultural strategy, the strategic context and changing West Sussex

Part C Priorities for culture and cross cutting themes

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

PART A: SETTING THE SCENE

What does the cultural sector in West Sussex look like?

A definition of culture

The definition of culture used for this strategy is maintained from the previous period:

The culture of place, people and community – the buildings, landscape, food language, beliefs and traditions that bind and define us, and which together characterise the “cultures” that make up West Sussex

The sector includes the performing and visual arts; media, fashion, video and film; museums, archives, libraries and literature; sports events, facilities and development; the built heritage, landscape, countryside recreation, parks, open spaces; children’s play, festivals and informal leisure pursuits

Fact File: The Cultural sector in West Sussex

- The sector has an annual turnover of over £200 million - The secondary impact of the sector is at least £262 million per year - Over 10,000 people are employed in the sector - There are over 2,000 organisations and businesses active in the cultural economy - There are nearly 10,000 volunteers working in the arts and cultural activity - Around 114,000 people are employed in the creative industries - West Sussex arts and heritage attractions accounted for 4.9 million visits in 2005/06

Source: Culture and the Economy of West Sussex; Sussex Arts Partnership – June 2007

Culture and Sport have an important part to play in creating and sustaining vibrant communities. Taking part in the local drama production, playing cricket for the village team, walking on the South Downs, a visit to a gallery or finding your ancestors in the parish records – these all make life richer and add meaning to places and lives.

When we talk about culture, we mean visual and performing arts, museums, galleries, archives, libraries, sport and leisure activities, the built and natural environments, public spaces and places of heritage, tourism, media, fashion, film, television and broadcasting.

This important mix means culture has much to offer as we face the challenges to the quality of life most of us enjoy in West Sussex, the economy of the county and the environment.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

The cultural sector is an important part of the economy in West Sussex, with an annual turnover of over £200 million per annum and employing more than 10,000 people.

The creative industries are growing, with arts and media providing increasing opportunities in further and higher education in Worthing, Chichester and Bognor Regis. Plans for considerable investment along the coast, notably in Bognor Regis and also in Crawley could bring greater creative education benefits and the cultural facilities that come with them.

Five schools in the county now have specialist Arts College status, and four are designated Sports Colleges with an additional one with sport as a second specialism. Participation in sport, both inside and out of the formal school day, is increasing and initiatives such as the Crawley Sportslink Programme offers schools access to high quality and expert coaching during and after school hours. Many schools have achieved Arts Mark status and the roll-out across West Sussex of Creative Partnerships that build relationships between creative practitioners, such as architects, engineers and artists and schools, will further strengthen opportunities for creative education, including Creative Diplomas for 14 – 19 year olds. As part of their extended role, 81% of schools in West Sussex currently provide community access to support wider access to ICT, sports and art.

These beneficial links between creative education, professional practice and regeneration are further supported by the South Coast Design Forum, which exists to provide support, raise awareness and create networking channels for the South Coast as an area rich in designers, architects and creatives of all kinds.

Specialist arts education is provided at West Dean College, an internationally renowned centre for study, which has a particular reputation for its conservation and tapestry courses. The college is set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, within a 6,000-acre estate, with farms, forests and nature reserves and offers the beautiful West Dean Gardens, which are open to the public.

Parks and open spaces, along with free access to nature, are among the most important factors that West Sussex residents value in making the county an enjoyable place to live. As such, they are well served with over 24 listed parks and gardens within the county, considerable Areas of Outstanding Beauty and over 2,500 miles of footpaths.

Gardens, including Wakehurst Place, under the care of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, with the Millennium Seed Bank, and the 20th-century garden at the National Trust’s Nymans with its a collection of rare and important plants are a strong feature in the Visitor Economy (tourism), which also plays a key role in the economy.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Case Study

Gardens of Sussex and Normandy A European funded project linking Sussex to Normandy for Tourism South East and Sussex Tourism Partnership in partnership with Normandy Tourism. In order to support the visitor economy, it sought to raise the profile of the county as a leading and very attractive cultural destination.

This project celebrated the historic and contemporary culture of Normandy and Sussex, the richness and variety of the two regions. New business relationships were created between gardens, historic houses, contemporary culture, theatres, festivals and the hotel and restaurant sector to share information and best practice in visitor management and new techniques in marketing.

Activities included the creation of a new tri-lingual website, www.culturesussex.com, promotion of West Sussex at key garden shows including the Chelsea Flower Show in London, other major shows in the UK and Northern France, 35,000 print run of a bi-lingual Cultural Sussex brochure and visits by key partners from Northern France to gardens in West Sussex. The project attracted national newspaper coverage and an award at the Chelsea Flower Show.

An estimated 32,500 people are directly employed in the visitor economy, which is calculated to have generated an income of £1,611 million in 2007. Nearly 3.5 million overnight trips were made to West Sussex by visitors, around 338,000 from outside the UK, with 17.3 million tourist day trips also made into the county in the same year.

While the role of tourism in the economy is important, West Sussex’s varied visitor attractions are, of course, also enjoyed by residents. Over 3 million visits were recorded at visitor attractions in 2006, from the open spaces of West Wittering, to the increasingly popular heritage sites, such as the tiny Petworth Cottage Museum.

The 26 museums in West Sussex offer important educational opportunities and over 60% of county schools visited museums in 2006/07, nearly 30% of these visits to local museums. The largest in-situ collection of Roman mosaics in Britain has been excavated at Fishbourne Roman Palace, the site and museum owned by the Sussex Archaeological Society. The Weald and Downland Open Air Museum holds collections of buildings and general artefacts of national importance with over 45 historic houses and agricultural buildings on its 50-acre site, as well as fulfilling an important training role in building and preservation techniques. It alone attracted over 105,000 visitors in 2007. The more recent past is brought to life at Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, which served as one of Britain's front line fighter bases during World War II. Each district and borough council is providing essential support to museums and/or galleries recognising their contribution to creating sustainable communities.

The heritage of West Sussex is very rich, with over 7,000 listed buildings ranging from Chichester Cathedral to picturesque cottages, alongside some 250 conservation areas. The county is also the site of several important ancient sites, including Boxgrove – the site of the earliest known skeletal remains of man in Britain and Scheduled Monuments, including Chichester’s City Walls. Over 10,000 people visited the County Record Office in 2006/07.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Taking part in cultural and active leisure helps keep mind and body fit and well. Residential homes and day centres provide arts and crafts activities, and D4Three, a creative dance programme for older people, has led to the creation of an Arts and Health Network with the Primary Care Trust.

Case Study

D4Three Case Study D4Three is a three-year dance and creative movement project for older people in West Sussex, offering opportunities for participation, training, mentoring and advocacy. It aims to support the development of healthier lifestyles and to improve their well-being through dance.

The project includes creative movement and dance workshops in day centres, an Open College Network accredited training course for practitioners in delivering dance to older people and use of the achievements of the project as a focus for advocacy for the role of dance and creative movement with older people.

The project was a good example of collaboration between a wide range of partners, including West Sussex County Council and district and borough councils; Voluntary Sector Liaison Development Officers; PCT – Public Health / mental health / community physiotherapists; WSCC Adult Services (Day Services); WSCC Adult and Community Learning; Age Concern; Volunteers; Dance Practitioners; University of Chichester and Chichester Isolation Action Group.

Over 10,000 volunteers work in the arts and heritage sectors, and sports provide volunteering opportunities for some 6% of the population, where their contribution is vital. Participation rates in active leisure are generally high, with Chichester, Mid Sussex and Horsham districts all in the top quartile with some 25% of the population taking part in 30 minutes of activities at least three times each week.

There are high levels of satisfaction with culture and sporting facilities – for example the leisure centre at K2 in Crawley has an approval rating of 83%. Even in those districts where satisfaction levels are the lowest in the county at below 70%, they are still well above the lowest averages for the South East. However, many cultural and sports facilities are in need of investment to make them fit for the 21st Century and, as such, face a difficult future within public sector budget constraints.

Community and village halls are also central to the quality of life, many sustained and supported through the input of county, district, borough and parish councils. Again, volunteers are essential to these local activities, as they are to the more than 20 festivals that take place across the county each year. Some of these, such as Chichester Festivities, are long established, whilst others, such as Shipley, are of more recent origin. While some are highly specialised, the Film Festival in Chichester, the music festival at Petworth, the Irish and Celtic festival and the Mela in Crawley for instance, others are broader in scope.

These festivals help to bring communities together and encourage a broader understanding of each other’s cultures.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Case Study Earth Machine Music Residency Kimmo Pohjonen

Kimmo Pohjonen - the ‘Jimi Hendrix of the accordion world’ - brought together the worlds music and farming to produce a contemporary fusion of acoustic and sampled music on accordion, percussion and farming machinery! This Arts Council England funded UK tour was offered to West Sussex due to its reputation for innovative and professional rural arts development.

In February 2008, Kimmo spend time on two farms with the enthusiastic support of local farming families and at the local brewery, which also produced a special brew of Earth Machine Music beer. He recorded rare breed organic livestock, potato riddlers, tractors and industrial brewing machinery to create a performance in May, which West Sussex based Roots Around the World promoted and managed. The unusual nature of this residency attracted national interest and the sell out event ensured a successful outcome transforming semi redundant farm buildings into a temporary performance space.

As well as a quirky concert, this supported a farm to find new ways to sell its organic produce, enabled an international composer to realise his vision and demonstrated new ways old farm buildings might be brought back to life.

Following this, plans are now in motion to develop a multi-functioning site for community use, performances and a making space for national and international arts organisations to develop and create large-scale work in rural West Sussex.

It is increasingly usual to think of the county in terms of three distinct economic and geographical areas, and these areas also exhibit different cultural characteristics. The Gatwick Diamond to the north around Crawley and Gatwick airport is linked via the M23 corridor to Brighton and the coast. It provides a gateway to the county, to the region and internationally. It has a more diverse population and a particular strength in partnerships between culture and health interests.

The coastal strip is both an area of disadvantage and opportunity. The role of culture in driving regeneration along the coast has been recognised in the 2008 research of “Culture and the Coastal Strip” showing how culture can be at the heart of sustainable development with an emphasis on creativity in educational settings. The needs of the coastal strip and the role that culture can play has also been recognised by English Heritage’s work on coastal towns and the Sea Change programme in regenerating Worthing and Littlehampton seafronts.

Then there are the rural areas, where there is a mixed picture of culture and where a community development approach to culture has had benefits. Some communities have thriving hubs, where the local community can get involved in a wide range of activities, with the consequent beneficial impact on health and cohesive communities. There are also countywide initiatives such as Roots Around the World which takes high quality activity to smaller communities. However, this is balanced by communities where people live, but commute out for work and cultural activity, and instances of rural isolation, poor cultural facilities and opportunities and of loneliness – especially for older people.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Levels of participation in West Sussex The people of West Sussex appear to appreciate the cultural opportunities that are available to them. Results from the Active People Survey show levels of participation above the national average for sport and physical activity, using libraries, visiting galleries and engaging in the arts. In addition, the propensity to engage figures demonstrate that participation rates are higher than would be expected of the socio- demographic profile of the county.

Indicator West South National Sussex East April April Region 2009 2009 April 2009 NI 8 - percentage of adults in a LA who have 23.1% N/A 21.5% participated in sport and active recreation, at moderate intensity, for at least 30 minutes on at least 12 days out of the past four weeks NI 9 - percentage of adults in a LA who have used a 52.0% 48.6% 48.2% public library service in the past 12 months. NI 10 - percentage of adults in a LA who have visited a 54.6% 55.9% 53.2% museum or gallery in the past 12 months. NI 11 - percentage of adults in a LA who have either 52.1% 50.4% 45.5% attended an arts event or participated in an arts activity at least three times in the past 12 months. Sources: DCMS Active People Survey Results, April 2009

The story of the cultural strategy and what it has achieved “People, Place and Community – A Cultural Strategy for West Sussex” was first published in 2003 and told the story of West Sussex and the contribution that culture makes to the life and economy of the county. It set out seven strategic objectives as a framework for further action to increase targeted, localised and participatory activity.

Within the consultations for this refresh of the cultural strategy, people were asked what they saw as the main achievements of the strategy over the past five years:

• Shared definition and mutual understanding of “culture” Sometimes misunderstood as referring to a narrow range of “arts” activities, there is now a much stronger common understanding of the wider definition of culture. This in turn has led to increased partnership working and collaboration along with a greater understanding of the strategic position of culture and its interconnectivity. • Greatly strengthened partnerships All parties involved in culture are working better together. There is increased communication and better alignment of aims and objectives. This applies to the statutory sector, such as local authorities, but also to private and voluntary organisations involved in the sector. • Increased collaboration There are good examples of collaboration at all levels from individual cultural organisations through to activities being coordinated across the whole county. This can only come about when people and organisations have the opportunity to engage, share ideas, spark increased creativity and combine resources.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

• Interconnectivity and visibility The sense of interconnectivity has grown stronger during the intervening five years and there is now a widely held acceptance that culture must be positioned at the heart of wider policy and decision-making at all levels throughout the county. The visibility of the sector has substantially grown. • Excellence and wonder While the contribution to other goals is accepted, there have also been excellent examples of cultural activities gaining recognition for their own sake. Some have built on previous strong foundations, such as the Chichester Festival Theatre, with others emerging within the last five years, such as the Shipley Festival. • Resources to hold it together Resources are always tight. Partnership, collaboration, communication and promotion all take time and energy. Artists, groups, organisations need to be found and brought into partnerships and communication networks; the sector needs to be positioned and links made to other sectors and strategies both regionally and nationally. In a sector which is highly fragmented, the contribution of county, borough and district councils have been welcomed by partners across the sector, while the resources made available by the county council have provided the glue to help hold things together.

However, despite the achievements of the past five years, there is a consensus that this is only satisfactory as a start – more still needs to be achieved and the refresh of the cultural strategy must move the agenda forwards rather than settling for the status quo.

Challenges to be met by the new strategy The cultural strategy for West Sussex for the next five years will face three types of challenge:

• The challenge of making the strategy itself helpful, meaningful and one which makes a contribution to the development of the sector and the county and which is helpful to organisations at local level, including district and borough councils • The challenges posed by changes to the county and by wider regional and national changes • The economic downturn – resources will be even tighter, and expenditure on cultural activity by both the public sector and consumers may decline. But there may be opportunities as well, a switch to domestic rather than foreign holidays and families looking for interests closer to home, and from the attractiveness of the UK as a holiday destination for overseas visitors due to the weakness of the pound

During the consultations for this refresh a number of themes have emerged which need to be reflected:

• The strategy needs to be linked firmly to actions, while recognising that it cannot possibly be a synthesis of all the service plans and business plans of the many organisations in the sector • The sector itself and its many partnerships are gathering strength and should feel able to address issues more strongly and with more cohesion between partners • While the contribution to and central positioning of culture in relation to wider strategies is important, we must not lose sight of the importance of culture in itself –

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

the spark of wonder and inspiration must not be lost in a maze of instrumental public policy making. Quality and excellence should be pursued vigorously • The strategy needs to be able to accommodate a mix of issues and priorities from a very broad sector. The danger is that this makes it un-focused. The refreshed strategy should be sharper and concentrate on the main priorities.

This leads to a number of principles which underpin this refresh of “People, Place and Community” for the next five years.

The cultural strategy should: 1. Reflect what we do in West Sussex 6. Help align priorities across and our current priorities organisations 2. Show our aspirations for the sector 7. Act as a framework for organisations 3. Show how culture contributes to the to develop their own action plans, wider goals of the Sustainable priorities and bids for resources Community Strategy 8. Aid the process of collaboration and 4. Show what needs to happen in the partnership sector to keep it healthy, vibrant and 9. Show why investment in culture is relevant important and worth doing 5. Enshrine principles which will keep us true to the value of culture in itself

It also leads to a twin track approach where we firmly support and develop the cultural sector as a necessary pre-condition to a successful West Sussex economy, a cared for environment and achievement of the Sustainable Community goals, while also developing and encouraging the sector, improving quality and the quality of the experience as a worthwhile end in itself,

PART B: THE PURPOSE OF THE CULTURAL STRATEGY AND THE STRATEGIC CONTEXT

Purpose The purpose of this refreshed cultural strategy is therefore to: • Set strategic priorities for culture • Set an agenda for further development and to show our aspirations for culture • Make sense of how culture relates to other strategies and to position culture within the wider context of what is happening in the county, regionally and nationally • Bring a wide range of organisations into closer alignment: – With each other – With other strategies and priorities • Further strengthen partnership and collaboration • Show the benefits of investment (but not be a case for investment) • Identify how culture will make a difference • Celebrate culture for itself

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

In short, the purpose of the cultural strategy is to help us make the most of the wealth of cultural assets that exist in West Sussex.

Context and strategic fit The definition of culture is broad, and each of its elements has a number of strategic drivers. In addition to this, in the last five years there has been an increased emphasis on culture and its importance in many different contexts. As such, there are a number of national and regional strategies and policies which this strategy is required to reference and which are listed in Annex 1. There is also the desire to position culture at the heart of wider goals for West Sussex, the most important of which are set out in the Sustainable Communities Strategy (as outlined below).

This is a complex picture - Figure 1 shows how it all fits together.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

National level At national level there have been several key publications in the period since “People Place and Community” was first published – they are listed in Annex 1. There is much to welcome in these documents particularly the strengthened interest in culture and recognition of the contribution it makes to successful communities.

The key themes in the national strategies which we need to reflect in the refresh of the West Sussex Cultural Strategy are:

- Culture has a very important and unique role to play in the achievement of wider economic, environmental and social aims

- A successful creative economy – which is considered vital to the health of the economy – is dependent on a successful cultural sector. The economy as a whole is increasingly being seen as driven by creativity and a necessary pre-condition is an active and diverse, creative cultural sector – the cultural “ecology”

- Culture and creativity in education at all levels and the engagement of young people is essential

- Successful, vibrant and inclusive communities are characterised by cultural activity at all levels – from grassroots to centres of international renown

- There should be a continuing focus on a drive for quality and excellence at all levels of cultural activity

- Embracing the impact and opportunity posed by new digital media

- Organisations, artists and facilities need to collaborate more strongly in order to increase activity, reach and engagement

- The importance of cultural and sporting activity to young people at a time when there is much focus on the problems of young people and the quality of life they enjoy

- Improving the evidence and data on the impact of cultural activity

- Improving skills and leadership in the cultural sector.

Regional level In the South East region, culture has likewise received greater attention, not just for its contribution to the economy and the visitor economy but also for the role it plays in creating cohesive communities. The strength of the cultural sector in the region is highlighted in the Regional Economic Strategy, together with the necessity of ensuring it continues to thrive as a necessary foundation for the creative and knowledge sectors and in its role of attracting and retaining businesses in the region, for supporting skills development and creating a creative and dynamic workforce. The development of the South East Cultural Evidence Base and Cultural Opportunities Framework will allow the impact of culture on the region’s economy to be better understood and also further increase collaborative working between organisations.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Regional Economic Strategy 2006 to 2016 The Regional Economic Strategy includes a number of key actions which support culture. These include: Enterprise - Support new and growing businesses in the creative, cultural, leisure, sporting and visitor economy industries - Advance the knowledge of the way in which culture can act as an economic catalyst, particularly Growth Areas, the Coastal Towns and the Diamonds for Investment and Growth

Skills - Develop and support initiatives to engage hard to reach learners through the informal learning environments that cultural venues and activities offer - Raise the quality of the region’s visitor economy and cultural offer through workforce development programmes and volunteer accreditation schemes

Transport and Physical Development - Promote the use of art in the public realm to raise the quality of design in infrastructure projects - Ensure use of existing and developing cultural planning frameworks, toolkits and guidance in physical developments

Employment - Promote the power of culture to engage hard to reach learners - Champion engagement in cultural and sporting activities that support the acquisition of transferable skills in a range of business sectors - Promote the role of taking part in sports and cultural activity and its positive impact on physical and mental health - Enhance the employment and productivity dividend from cultural volunteering

Sustainable Prosperity - Develop a planning framework for cultural provision in new and expanding communities

County level At county level, the main strategic document is the Sustainable Community Strategy 2008-2020, which has four themes:

o A better place to live – infrastructure and development, adapting to climate change and pollution, local resources and the coastal and rural areas o Opportunity for all – education and skills, economic growth and the visitor economy o Better health for all – preventative strategies, health information and education, inequalities in health, mental and the ageing population o Staying and feeling safe – crime, anti-social behaviour, respect and social inclusion and road safety.

The Cultural Strategy must also reflect and contribute to the West Sussex Economic Development Strategy with its themes of: o Regenerating the coastal economy o A new vision for the north east of the county o Improving neighbourhood quality o Social inclusion o Supporting individuals needs

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

The West Sussex Local Area Agreement recognises that a strong cultural sector is a significant contributor to the county and to improving the quality of life for its population. Culture is a significant contributor of many of the indicators.

West Sussex is well regarded nationally and regionally in its approach to the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, and has developed a legacy plan which is being delivered through the county-wide initiative “West Sussex- Ahead of the Game”. The London 2012 Games represent a very good opportunity to promote participation in cultural activities and sport, and potentially offer a new route to engaging more people.

West Sussex Celebrates Olympic Handover Day in August 2008 kick-started a four-year Ahead of the Game cultural programme, to parallel the national Cultural Olympiad. Over a thousand people celebrated Olympic Handover Day at seven BIG PICNICS across the county, with events ranging from circus performances and a tea dance, to global music and film screenings. Each picnic was linked by a `baguette baton` created by local artists, and carried in a 180 mile relay by the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre. The Ahead of the Game cultural events and activities are developing over the four years towards 2012 - people across the county are being encouraged to get involved in developing, creating and experiencing arts and sports like never before! The focus is on ‘inspiring young people’, with a Youth Arts Festival planned for Autumn 2009; on ‘extraordinary ability’, through carnival involving people with and without disabilities working together; and on ‘welcoming the world’ (recognised and funded by the Accentuate Programme), to include a travelling festival with a strong international flavour. To help achieve such a range of activities, cultural champions in local communities will be encouraged and supported to take a lead helping to secure a strong legacy post-2012.

Local level Local strategies are highly relevant, and there has been consultation with district and borough councils to ensure they are properly reflected. The district and borough councils have an essential role to play in provision of services, availability of venues for activities and supporting communities. There are particular locations where a number of local bodies share a common interest – for example the coastal strip. “Culture and the Coastal Strip” (July 2008) is a research project that examines the potential for putting culture at the heart of sustainable development and regeneration across the Coastal Strip. It proposed a cultural masterplan to:

- Develop a high profile cultural infrastructure - Ensure there are a range of cultural and creative industry support services - Develop a wide range of specialist and accessible spaces for different parts of the cultural and creative sector - Encourage strong and specialised higher and further education sector developments within the Coastal Strip

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

- Develop innovative and relevant opportunities for young people - Develop places and situations for people to meet, exchange ideas and build relationships - Ensure that cultural venues are open, accessible and welcoming - Try to make the most of cultural diversity in the Coastal Strip - Encourage creative and enterprising cultural interventions - Encourage a range of night time economy activities.

Culture has a key role to play in the achievement of all these goals and the priorities for the sector set out below in Section C reflect this. However, we also need to be mindful of the twin track approach and avoid regarding culture merely as instrumental in achieving other goals – there must be an element of looking after culture for its own sake. If we lose sight of this then there is a risk we lose that which is so valuable to other aspects of the economy and community.

Changing West Sussex West Sussex is changing. There are significant trends in population, employment and housing with new challenges facing us in the future, such as climate change and the economic downturn. The refresh of the cultural strategy needs to reflect these trends.

Demography There is downward trend in the population between the ages of 15 and 35 as it continues to be difficult to retain younger people growing up, leaving and finding it difficult to return later. The population is growing older – soon 50% of the population will be over 50. There are new communities coming into the county, with recent arrivals from Eastern Europe bringing their own additions to the cultural life of West Sussex, but also having new expectations and needs. 56% of people in West Sussex live in villages and the dispersed rural area, including 10,000 people over the age of 70 and over half of the county’s young people. The population of rural areas is expected to increase.

Climate change West Sussex County Council signed the Nottingham Declaration in February 2006. In doing so ‘WSCC acknowledges the increasing impact that climate change will have on our community during the 21st century and commits to tackling the causes and effects of a changing climate on our county.’ The changes in climate and sea levels will impact on cultural activities and tourism in the county. The challenge will be to ensure people can access cultural activity in their own community without always having to travel to it.

Spatial developments Significant new housing is planned – around 48,800 new homes across the county between 2006 and 2011 and this will put further pressure on transport unless the new communities have both jobs and cultural activities located within them.

Proposals for a new South Downs National Park have recently been agreed which are likely to alter the pattern of visitors and use of the natural environment, as well as opening up new opportunities for cultural activity. These will need to be explored in further detail as the implementation plans for the Park are developed.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Planning regimes in the county need to reflect the importance of culture – especially given its impact on a wide range of other goals – including the economy, social cohesion and health. Spatial plans need to provide spaces and places where culture can happen. The public realm needs to be protected and improved where it has become unattractive.

Living Places, (a programme based on the agreement between five of the leading cultural agencies: Arts Council England, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), English Heritage, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and Sport England) has identified that often Planning Frameworks do not take adequate notice of the impact on planning designations and spatial priorities on culture. They have developed a toolkit to help planners develop spatial priorities that will allow culture to thrive, recognising the impact that culture can have on sustainable, successful and cohesive communities.

The Living Places Planning Toolkit

The Culture and Sport Planning Toolkit will help planners bridge gaps between cultural planning and spatial planning processes and it will enable planners to align the two so that benefits can be secured from growth and development by the effective delivery of cultural resources. This is an important part of helping present and future communities thrive and foster their own identities.

Each section of the toolkit provides information and guidance to help planners to:

• recognise opportunities to integrate culture and sport into spatial planning • recognise community needs from development and growth • recognise public and private funding possibilities and opportunities • support the development of partnerships • develop effective culture and sport planning policies • develop robust evidence of provision and needs • deliver successful schemes • make use of existing planning tools and guidance • learn lessons from around the English regions.

“Planning has a key role to play in the creation of sustainable communities: communities that will stand the test of time, where people want to live, and which will enable people to meet their aspirations and potential”.

Education New higher education facilities are planned in Bognor Regis and in the Gatwick Diamond. This offers new scope for an enhanced cultural offer, but also a new challenge to create a cultural life that must help retain students in the area when they graduate, which is also acceptable to other residents.

The role of further education is also important in making the link between young people, skills and culture and there will be significant investment in the schools of the county.

Skills There are four major challenges facing West Sussex on skills:

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Skills and creative industries In developing "A Learning Agenda for the Cultural Industries in the South East", Dr Neil Ravenscroft and Paul Gilchrist of the University of Brighton identified three separate learning and skills models:

1. Skilling for culture - the skills required to be an artist or an athlete 2. Skilling through culture - engagement in learning as a result of participating in culture. This might include access to information, transferable skills resulting from volunteering or creativity gained through experience of cultural activity 3. Skilling for economic development

These distinctions recognise and relate to important intersections between individual, community and business needs.

Source: Cultural Learning Curve

- Low skills and aspirations – at least 15% of the workforce lacks entry level skills for employment which may mean previous relatively high employment rates may not be sustainable, and are already showing a marked change - Higher skills – there are substantial variations at district level that hold back economic growth, particularly in the Gatwick Diamond and coastal areas - The knowledge economy – the continuous circle of higher level skills versus the demand for them, compounded by increasing competition from London and other countries - Community cohesion – the need to develop a more cohesive society where the local population is motivated to have lifelong learning and to engage in cultural opportunities

The link between skills, culture and economic development has been clearly identified during the consultations for this refresh of the cultural strategy, and was examined in detail at the Learning Curve conference in 2008.

Creative economy The creative industries are becoming an increasingly important part of the economy of West Sussex. A snapshot of the creative industries in West Sussex in 2007 showed that 19.7% of all businesses are involved in the sector. Figure 1 in Annex 2 breaks this down further into individual sectors.

In the same year (2007) just over 8% of the total workforce was employed in the creative industries, just below the South East benchmark of just over 9%. The breakdown for each sector can be seen in figure 2 in Annex 2.

In terms of those employed in creative occupations (latest 2001 figures) are outlined in figure 3 in Annex 2. The overall total for West Sussex in 2001 was 5.5%.

The importance of the creative industries to the UK as a whole is widely accepted. Nationally, NESTA (the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts) predicts that, by 2013, the creative sector is expected to employ 1.3 million people, thus becoming one of the most important industry sectors. NESTA's analysis also suggests that, between 2009 and 2013, the UK's creative industries will grow, on average, by 4%,

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

more than double the rate of the rest of the economy. The figures point to the creative industries, and specifically the talent we have nurtured within it, becoming a key driver in the UK's recovery from recession.

Given the importance of the creative industries to the UK and West Sussex, we should look at the factors that will contribute to the further growth and sustainability of the sector. There is an increasing body of opinion and evidence that links success in creative industries to the underpinning cultural infrastructure of an area – in particular the cultural skills and organisations – the “creative ecology”. A successful cultural sector is thought to be a necessary pre-condition for a credible creative industries cluster.

Local Futures (a research and strategy consultancy that provides a geographical perspective on social and environmental change) have developed a model which proposes a three way inter-dependence between creative businesses, creative people and creative places.

(Adapted from a Local Futures Model)

The importance of culture to the health of the economy of West Sussex is critical and should be reflected in economic development and other key strategies. Nationally there is a shortage of people with technical and practical skills to produce creative product alongside a surfeit of performers (Creative and Cultural Skills Sector Council). A new National Skills Academy is been established to address this shortage.

Economic downturn The economic downturn is likely to have a significant impact on West Sussex throughout the period of this strategy. Culture will remain as central and important to many aspects of the county and in some respects it will become more important. Some of the potential impacts – positive and negative – include:

• There will be pressure on public and private sector funding and there is a risk of degradation of cultural facilities • The cultural offer may need to reflect people’s changed circumstances

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

• There is some suggestion that people and businesses become more creative in an economic downturn and there may be some positive impact for the longer term benefit of the creative industries – but it has to be recognised that this may be heavily outweighed by current difficulties • There may be changes in the patterns of cultural facilities. West Sussex residents may look for cultural experiences more locally, with an increase in the use of “free” resources such as the natural environment. These resources are not free to maintain, and there are risks of degradation • There may be an increase in domestic tourism, and there has already been an increase in visitor enquiries from abroad as people seek to take advantage of the exchange rate • The rate of house building will slow, and house prices have fallen. This may give the opportunity for some younger people with families to locate in the county who would otherwise have been priced out.

There may be ways in which the cultural sector can be protected and in turn help to support the local economy as it recovers, reflecting the twin track approach.

Recession Strategies Cultural sector Wider economy and community goals • Make the most of available resources by • Focus on the link between skills, further collaboration and stronger partnerships education and creative industries • Get more from under-used facilities • Use informal Adult Learning to help • Increase the participation in volunteering by individuals and communities deal with those who may temporarily have more time to and respond to change give • Work closely with the visitor economy • Use the opportunity to position West Sussex to promote West Sussex culture strongly in relation to London and • Make the most of the planned public Brighton investments in Building Schools for the • Ensure a strong cultural component in known Future and higher education in Bognor investments such as Building Schools for the Regis and Gatwick Diamond Future and higher education developments • Use the opportunity to reduce the pattern of outward commuting for employment

PART C: PRIORITIES FOR CULTURE AND CROSS CUTTING THEMES

We want to set priorities for culture in West Sussex which will reflect the twin track approach – making culture central to the achievement of wider goals and the support and development of culture for its own sake. The two are inextricably linked.

We have high aspirations for culture which need to be realised.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Our aspiration for culture:

• A key achievement has been to move culture up the agenda away from the margins. We need to keep it there – there is an imperative to do so - right at the heart of our big goals and ambitions for West Sussex • Partnership is progressing well but we must do better. We need to get the links and connections right and make effective, worthwhile partnerships • We should aspire to excellence and quality – but that doesn’t mean making things elitist or inaccessible. We should strive to make everything we do the best possible • We need to keep hold of passion, fun and wonder • We must take full advantage of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games – it is a once in a lifetime opportunity

We have strong belief in the contribution culture can make:

- At the centre of making West Sussex a sustainable community - Helping the retention of young people - Supporting social cohesion - Sustaining an important role in the development of skills - Supporting the attraction of employers and the creation of jobs - Underpinning a strong economy, with a recognised link between the creative ecology and creative economy - Centrally to the success of the visitor economy - Enhancing the quality of life for all - Helping to look after the environment - Promoting health, well being, feeling good - Creating a strong sense of place - The sector as an important employer in its own right

Priorities for culture

What will success look like? We have set high goals for culture which reflect our aspirations and its importance. If we succeed, by 2014 we will have achieved the following:

• A stronger cultural sector which has greater levels of use and participation and which has enhanced its own economic position Through further enhancing the relevance and quality of the offer, the sector itself will be healthy and used by increasing numbers of people. We will interpret what we have better for wider audiences; make better use of facilities and share ideas, energy and resources more. The economic impact of the sector will be growing – albeit at a rate which will be held back by wider economic circumstances

• A convincing creative industries sector which has achieved critical mass and which is starting to reverse the spiral of outward commuting, loss of young people and which increasingly able to attract inward investment

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

The link between skills, education, the creative ecology and creative industries will be well established, and increasing numbers of people with creative talent will start businesses or be able to find rewarding employment in West Sussex in a sector which is big enough to have a reputation outside the county and which attracts interest and further business locations. Culture will be explicitly used as an enabling and driving pre-condition for achieving regeneration goals.

• A healthy visitor economy sustaining jobs, businesses and cultural facilities and resources, but which is also growing sustainably Better and more explicit links will have been created between the cultural sector and the visitor economy, for the benefit of both. However, growth will have been achieved without damaging the very things which attract people to the county.

• A resident population which is participating in sport and culture more often, which is healthier and which increasingly feels that they can find cultural opportunities relevant to them locally and within the county. The communities in which they live are becoming well balanced and sustainable. Young people will be able to find opportunities for sport and culture increasing within West Sussex, and comparing favourably with the attractions of London and cities on the south coast. Older people will be able to participate more easily, with consequent impacts on health and well being. There will be more examples of communities with a diversity of local opportunities to participate and with increasing community coherence.

Getting to where we want to be There are five priorities for culture to reflect the twin track approach and the challenges set out above:

1. Access and participation – to increase participation in and access for all to cultural activities 2. Learning and skills – to increase opportunities for and access to creative learning 3. Built and natural environment – to contribute to a high quality environment by promoting social, economic and cultural regeneration 4. Creative and cultural sector – to contribute to the development of the infrastructure and capacity of the creative and cultural sector 5. Advocacy and partnership – to demonstrate the benefits and value of cultural activities and to make the necessary links between people and organisations

There are also two cross cutting themes reflecting the overwhelming consensus that the needs and interests of both young people and older people should receive particular attention in the cultural strategy.

Further details on the objectives to be pursued under each priority are set out below.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Performance Indicators

Suggested performance indicators for each priority are:

Priority Indicators 1. Access and participation – to increase National Indicators NI 03,04, 06, 08, 09, 10,11 participation in and access for all to cultural 35 and 110: (Engagement in active leisure, activities libraries, galleries and museums and arts; social cohesion; positive activities for young people) 2. Learning and skills – to increase Based on a mix of number of businesses in opportunities for and access to creative the creative industries, employment in the learning creative sector and the number of people in creative occupations (Local Futures) 3. Built and natural environment – to Tourism indicators contribute to a high quality environment by Based on a mix of number of businesses in promoting social, economic and cultural the creative industries, employment in the regeneration creative sector and the number of people in creative occupations (Local Futures) Living Places criteria 4. Creative and cultural sector – to contribute Based on a mix of number of businesses in to the development of the infrastructure the creative industries, employment in the and capacity of the creative and cultural creative sector and the number of people in sector creative occupations (Local Futures) 5. Advocacy and partnership – to demonstrate Prominence and frequency given to culture in the benefits and value of cultural activities wider policies and priorities and to make the necessary links between people and organisations Cross cutting 1: Young people Participation as measured by Active People (over 16s); Retention as measured by population trend demographics Measurement of the delivery of the 5 hour culture offer in schools Number of Arts Awards and Arts Marks secured Cross cutting 2: Older people Participation as measured by Active Peoples; Health indicators

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Priority 1: Access and participation – to increase participation in and access for all to cultural activities 1.1 Making the cultural offer more relevant to a wider range of people in the county by better interpreting what we have and introducing new offers where necessary 1.2 Collaborating to promote more effectively the full range of the cultural offer in West Sussex, making the most of that which is of regional, Making the best use of our facilities

national and international When considering the potential future significance use of community buildings, 49.6% of 1.3 Ensuring there are sufficient management committees of the places where people can community buildings were interested, participate in cultural activity and 39.6% would possibly be interested 1.4 Ensuring there is a spread of in exploring further service or social activity in all parts of the county activities. The needs they would most – making daily cultural activity like to see addressed were identified as:- feasible for all Activities for young people 73% Activities for older people 70.3% 1.5 Using the opportunities of the

London Olympic and Paralympic Source: Sustainable Communities Strategy- Games to maximise the interest Where we are now evidence; September 2008 in and participation in cultural and sporting activity

Priority 2: Learning and skills – to increase opportunities for and access to creative learning 2.1 Promoting and supporting increased links between cultural organisations and education at all levels – schools, FE and HE – to position cultural activities and facilities alongside those of education and to lifelong learning and informal training and education 2.2 Taking every opportunity to use cultural activities of every sort to engage all people in learning and improving their skills 2.3 Developing cultural and creative businesses

Priority 3: Built and natural environment – to contribute to a high quality environment by promoting social, economic and cultural regeneration 3.1 Ensuring planning policies, Local Development Frameworks (Core Strategies) and spatial plans all make adequate allowance for cultural activities 3.2 Enhancing sustainable communities and social cohesion by ensuring there is a space for culture and sport in every community, working with health, community and other bodies 3.3 Encouraging stronger links between those involved in culture and those promoting and supporting the visitor economy 3.4 Ensuring new residential developments make adequate provision for cultural and sporting activities to help create cohesive communities 3.5 Using existing cultural facilities to create new space for cultural businesses and entrepreneurs/start up businesses 3.6 Working with economic development agencies to support the creative sector and promote the strength of the creative workforce, including development of cultural offerings that will attract and retain essential skilled workers

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Priority 4: Creative and cultural sector – to contribute to the development of the infrastructure and capacity of the creative and cultural sector 4.1 Supporting skills development in the cultural sector, working closely with schools, FE and HE 4.2 Supporting small and medium cultural organisations and businesses and encouraging those with potential to break out from small scale and lifestyle businesses 4.3 Reviewing the use of volunteers and supporting cultural organisations to overcome some of the barriers to using volunteers. Using the interest sparked by the London Olympic and Paralympic Games to increase the level of volunteering 4.4 Increasing the opportunities for collaborative working between cultural organisations and increasing those which are inter-disciplinary and inter- generational 4.5 Sharing resources and getting more use out of the assets we have 4.6 Supporting the sector to become proficient with new digital techniques of creating and delivering cultural activity and helping them exploit the new opportunities to the full

Priority 5: Advocacy and partnership – to demonstrate the benefits and value of cultural activities and to make the necessary links between people and organisations 5.1 Demonstrating strong leadership within and on behalf of the sector by being more vocal and visible advocates – to policy makers, funders and the population 5.2 Refocusing existing cultural partnerships around the new priorities and considering if new ones need to be established to tackle new issues – e.g. digital delivery and broadband 5.3 Continuing to strengthen the evidence base showing the impact of culture on the economy, skills, tourism, health and social cohesion 5.4 Establishing high level governance arrangements for the Cultural Sector to ensure alignment, monitoring and awareness

Cross Cutting Theme 1: Young people and culture

Fact File

- 23% of the county’s population is aged 0-19 - The number of school age children is expected to drop by 4.4% between 2004 and 2009 - Around 11% of the total labour market is aged 16-24, with 25-49 years olds making up around 42% - There are 8 wards in the county that fall within the country’s top 10% most deprived in education. All are within Adur and Arun.

Throughout the development of this refresh of the Cultural Strategy the interests and needs of young people have been identified as a priority. By young people we mean those of pre and school age, those still in education at further or higher level, and also young people in the early part of their careers or as independent adults – an age range spanning up to 30 or 35. There is continuing evidence that young people leave the county at the point at which they complete their education, and when they might wish

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

to come back, possibly to settle down and start a family, they cannot afford to. This leads to imbalance in communities and shortage of skills for employers.

Culture engages young people, it is often created by them, it gives them things to do, and helps with other issues such as disaffection and crime reduction. It’s not just about the activity itself – it ties them to the community, to their peers and to adults. It gives them something they want to continue to do as they get older.

The issues include: - Using culture and sport to inspire young people and to help them achieve their full potential as well as celebrating the many excellent achievements of young people in sport and culture and presenting positive images of young people - Using culture and sport to engage young people in positive and exciting activities - Culture as a means of re-engaging those young people who are not in education, training or employment - The need to retain younger people in the county as they grow up, or as they complete further and higher education and the importance of skilled young people in the workforce if we are going to attract and retain businesses - The strong draw of London and Brighton for young people, both of which have a better cultural offer for that age group - The tendency for young people to use digital media for cultural activity and the importance of broadband – but not exclusively - The difficulty faced by young people in buying a house if they want to put down roots in West Sussex – they are priced out of the market - The pressure on communities if young people are leaving while the remaining population gets older – this is not a foundation for sustainable communities.

The question posed is can culture play a part in reversing a downward spiral? There is strong agreement that while culture cannot address all the issues (e.g. house prices) it certainly has a very important contribution to make in reversing the trend and creating a virtuous circle.

Creating a Virtuous Circle

Creative Economy Retain young Active people communities

Creative Ecology

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

This leads to a number of cross cutting objectives for young people:

YP1: Making the cultural offer more attractive to young people from school children through to 30 yrs old

YP2: Further strengthening and broadening the opportunities for all young people to be regularly involved in broad ranging cultural activity

YP3: Involving young people more in decision making about cultural issues

Cross Cutting Theme 2: Older people and culture

Fact File

- The percentage of the population of state pensionable age has now grown above the percentage of the population under 16 - Current life expectancy of people aged 65 is 82.2 for women and 78.8 for men - Projections for 2025 for life expectancy for those who reach age 65 are 88.3 for women and 86.1 for men – a rise of 6.1% and 7.3% respectively - One in four children born today can expect to live to 100 years old - The majority of older people have some form of income over and above the state pension - Half of people aged 75 or over live alone with 10% of older people often feeling lonely. 36% of older people often feel out of touch with modern life and 9% say they feel cut off from society - Nearly half of older people consider television as their main source of company - 12% feel trapped in their own home and 5% leave their house once a week or less - People over 60 are more likely to use public transport than those in their 50s - The largest volunteer group are aged between 65 and 75 and 21% of people aged 75+ in England are participating in formal volunteering at least once a month. - 1 in 3 people will die with dementia, with the number currently on the rise

Soon over 50% of the population of West Sussex will be over 50. The Primary Care Trust report increasing concerns with mental health issues and the increased demand generally on health services. In some communities, they are lucky; there are wide- ranging cultural activities, opportunities to volunteer and good transport links. Many older people in rural areas do not have these advantages and face isolation and loneliness, with infrequent or unreliable public transport. There are changes to the characteristics of the older population, with an increasing numbers of elders from minority ethnic communities.

The cross cutting objectives for older people are:

OP1: Ensuring the cultural offer is relevant to older people and the changing elderly population

OP2: Increasing the opportunities for older people to participate including volunteering opportunities

OP3: Planning transport provision where possible to reflect the needs of older people who wish to participate in cultural activities

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

OP4: Giving older people more opportunity to influence the pattern of cultural provision

Delivery of the priorities These priorities are not proposed for any one organisation. There are designed to act as a framework for all those who have an interest in either the cultural sector itself, or the contribution it will make to wider goals. It is intended that these organisations will reflect the cultural strategy priorities in developing their own business or service plans.

There are three ways in which it is envisaged this will take place:

Mainstream services Public sector services will integrate culture and the priorities into their service plans and longer term planning. This should include not just those directly connected to culture, sport and the arts, but also any body connected with economic development, regeneration, business support, planning, health, education, young people, the environment and all the other interests that have been reflected in this strategy.

The role of the district and borough councils is pivotal in taking forward the priorities set out in this document. They are involved in the direct delivery of cultural activity, in venue provision and in enabling work with communities. These are the foundations on which much of the other activity proposed in this strategy will rest.

Partnership and Governance Those who lead or who are responsible for the partnership structures in West Sussex should bring the priorities into the agenda and programmes for formal and informal partnerships, and should be active in promoting and supporting links and collaboration between individual organisations and between sectors. Consideration should be given to establishing appropriate governance arrangements to ensure the priorities of the strategy are being met.

Connectivity and collaboration The cultural and creative sectors more than any other are dependent on inter- connection. The infrastructure of connectivity – physical, organisational, human – is a necessary pre-condition for delivery of the priorities. Formal partnerships are one method. Digital infrastructure is another, as are skills and expertise, information, knowledge and awareness. This infrastructure needs to be supported and maintained.

Strategic oversight and direction This strategy has been developed through extensive consultation with interested parties and has been considered and approved by the Public Service Board for West Sussex. It a contributing strategy to the Sustainable Communities Strategy. It is proposed that the Public Service Board should be the body with ultimate responsibility for the strategy, but will delegate ongoing oversight of the strategy to an appropriate partnership once a review of current groups involved in culture has been completed. How this can best be archived is currently being considered.

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Annex 1: REFERENCES

Level Document Title

National “Archives for the 21st Century – proposed new archives policy (MLA) National Digital Britain - DCMS National Our Creative Talent - DCMS National Hodge Review implementation - DCMS National Passion for Excellence - DCMS National Great Art for Everyone – Arts Council England Business Plan 2008 - 2011 National Taking Part (Arts Council) National Creative Britain – New Talents for the Economy (DCMS 2008) Regional Evaluation of Creative Partnerships (NFER 2007) Regional Great Art for Everyone 2008-2011: Arts Council England Regional National Audit Office participation figures and Active People Regional Regional Economic Strategy West Sussex Arts and Heritage review (evidence only) West Sussex Cultural sector data – economic impact study – overview doc West Sussex West Sussex Economic Development Strategy West Sussex Heritage Strategy West Sussex Local Area Agreement West Sussex Landscape Strategy West Sussex Local Futures West Sussex Place Survey West Sussex Sustainable Community Strategy West Sussex West Sussex Cultural Services Regional Commentary West Sussex Ahead of the Game – Olympic Legacy Plan 2009-2014 Local Cultural mapping for coast Local Culture and the Coastal Strip

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

Annex 2: CREATIVE INDUSTRIES DATA

% of Total Creative Indust1%r2%ies in West Sussex 18% (2007) Advertising 3% 15% Architecture 7% 18% Arts & 4% Antiques 32% Designer Fashion

Figure 1

% of Total Employment Workforce in Creative Industries in West Sussex 2007

1% 2% Advertising 19% 17% Architecture Arts & Antiques Designer Fashion 10% Video and Film

23% Music & Visual Arts 5% Publishing 3% Software & Electronics

20% Radio & TV

Figure 2

People Place and Community - A cultural strategy for West Sussex 2009-2014

% of Workforce Employed in Creative Occupations

4%

25% Designer & Fashion Video & Film 38% Music & Visual Arts 4% Publishing Software

13% Radio & TV

16%

Figure 3

Information supplied by Local Futures.

0Annex 3: COMPARATIVE SPEND BY DISTRICT COUNCILS ACROSS WEST SUSSEX

(Subject to CIPFA figures being available).